EXPLOITATIVE CHARGES. Commercial banks are still robbing their customers in broad daylight despite a reduction in the cost of doing business in the country, charges Joe Ngige Mungai.

He asks: “How can one justify the 28 per cent interest charged on an overdraft or an unsecured loan and a negotiation fee of between 1.5 and two per cent? Someone should come to our rescue. On the right are banks and on the left, their cousins, the shylocks!”

NATIONAL DISASTER. Of the last 10 funerals he has attended in the recent past, Naivasha resident Joseph Macharia says six of the deaths were as a “result of the so-called lifestyle diseases — cancer, diabetes, and hypertension”, with the rest attributed to Aids, road accidents, and alcohol.

Joseph now wants to know when the government intends to declare cancer and diabetes national disasters “so as to attract more donor funding and save more lives”.

LOGBOOK HITCH. With the rains finally coming down, Peter Davies Otsuanda should be getting down to the business of cultivating his land, but he is unsettled.

The proud owner of a Ford tractor, Reg Ex-KUN 357, Peter has yet to receive the logbook, though it has already been registered as KTCA 186B, following an application he made to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.

He hopes the registrar will intervene to speed up the issuing of the logbook. His contact is 0724553656.

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DANGEROUS ROAD. Can the NTSA spend some of the money it has collected in the fines slapped on drunken and speeding drivers to mark the lanes on the winding and hilly Keroka-Kisii road to make it safer? asks James T. Makori.

Driving along the road, especially during the current heavy rains, James moans, is not only a nightmare, it is also quite dangerous. “Even if one is completely sober, it takes a lot of effort to avoid veering off the road and plunging into one of the valleys.”

CORRUPTION CLAIMS. What Stephen Ndegwa finds intriguing is the “heavy presence” of Cord leaders on the list of suspected corrupt officials that the anti-corruption commission submitted to President Kenyatta, and which he recently handed over to Parliament.

However, Stephen adds, all the officials named must step down until their names are cleared as “they are only suspects and not criminals”.

Noting that this has shown the government’s commitment to fighting graft, he concludes: “Only the truth shall set you free.”

TECHNOLOGY HITCH. The government’s efforts to “bring basic public services to the people using technology sometimes become a big joke”, remarks Antony Irungu, amused at the circus in the issuing of passports by the Immigration Department.

One, Antony notes, is advised to register online and download an application form. But the applicant is then required to physically submit the completed form to an immigration officer. “So what difference does it really make?”

EXAM WOES. Something is wrong with the Kenya National Examinations Council’s website, says Allan Sogoni, who is alarmed that this is happening at a critical time — the registration of candidates for this year’s exams.

For the past three weeks, he claims, the KCSE and KCPE exam portals “have either been inaccessible or have been responding painfully slowly”.

Queries to the council’s Facebook and Twitter handles, he adds, are ignored and yet the registration deadline is fast approaching.

NOISE POLLUTION. God is not deaf, says Dr Hussein Dossajee, on the places of worship that assail the eardrums of the residents of Highridge and Parklands, Nairobi.

“Three different denominations have been competing with their loudspeakers. A mosque, five times a day, temples, twice a week, and two churches at Highridge Girls Secondary School grounds, twice a week. We have no issue with prayers but, please, turn down your volume. To top it all, two nightclubs blare music two nights a week. Nema should stop the noise pollution.”

The Bunyala Road-Uhuru Highway roundabout at the Nyayo National Stadium, he adds, clears traffic from five different feeds, “a pure recipe for a gridlock all the time”.

He poses: “Wouldn’t it make sense to block the two entries that allow traffic from Upper Hill to Industrial Area and from Industrial Area to town/Upper Hill so that the vehicles turn at the next available roundabout to ease traffic flow on the highway?”

TOKENS RECEIVED. Kenya Power MD and chief executive officer Ben Chumo says investigations that were conducted following customer Leo Kinyoi’s complaint about much-delayed prepaid meter tokens established that there was no error or system hitch at the time he tried to buy some units of electricity.

CEO Chumo adds: “I wish to give an assurance that the customer, indeed, bought tokens worth Sh200 and received 30.9 units on the same day.”

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BILL US. And could Kenya Power boss Chumo also look into the plight of a couple, David and Catherine Marks, who are quite willing to pay their electricity bills but frustrated about their inability to do so.

Since January, David moans, they have not received any bill or invoice from the power utility for account No. 2388196-02. “How are we expected to pay what we owe? Please wake them up!”

DISAPPOINTED VIEWER. DStv is no longer the exciting pay TV service provider it once was, remarks Tom Lepski Ochola, adding that the menu now consists mainly of soccer, “tired movies and repetitive wildlife documentaries”.

It is, he states, “a far cry from some years back, when there was a wide choice of top-flight entertainment”.

He is also unhappy about the discontinuation of several programmes, including the ESPN sports series, featuring top-level boxing and world rally championships.

WHERE ARE THEY? There was a time when the country representatives of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Nairobi were household names, but not any more, says Wollen Morara.

In the 1990s, in particular, any Kenyan could tell who they were in a picture, he states. “Remember Harold Wackman? Is this a sign that Kenya has economically turned the corner and no longer needs the frequent interventions by the two Bretton Woods institutions?”

OLD IS GOLD. A connoisseur of golden oldies music, Enoch H. Opuka, is elated that an appeal he made last November has yielded results. He is the proud owner of his favourite old song, Nyoka na Chura.

Now, he adds, he has been enjoying listening to a rural man lamenting how he is struggling to prevent his greedy neighbours from grabbing his family’s land, “for once, forget the hullabaloo about who should or should not step down” over graft allegations.

WASTE OF TIME: The construction of a wall along the Kenya-Somalia border to prevent infiltration by Al-Shabaab would be “an exercise in futility”, George Gopal remarks, saying that there are already many members of the terror group on the Kenyan side today wreaking havoc in various places.

George is not convinced the government has the capacity to man a 600-km-long wall and keep out the militants considering the challenges being experienced in maintaining infrastructure such as roads and sewer systems.

A MATTER OF SPEED: There are two challenges in enforcing the 50kph speed limit in Nairobi, Ben Ashuma says.

According to him, most motorists pretend to be complying with the limits, only to speed off immediately they go through a police roadblock.

He writes: “At night, it is even worse, as many know they can speed and go scot-free. As police and the NTSA pursue drunken drivers, especially at night, can they also enforce the 50kph limit, please?” Benjamin’s email address is [email protected]

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ELECTRICITY PROBLEM: A resident of north coast, P Atwell, says the past two weeks have been terrible as far as power supply is concerned, especially in Nyali and Mtwapa, where there have been frequent outages lasting between two and eight hours.

Last Sunday, Atwell reports, residents did not have electricity from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and on Monday, from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. This, he moans, is not good, particularly for hotels, which have been hit by declining tourist numbers.

FIVE STOPS: Nakuru could easily win the dubious accolade of being the ‘County of Roadblocks’, Paul Okwemba says. While travelling from Eldoret to Nairobi on March 23, he recalls, he came across five police roadblocks and all of them were along the stretch of the highway that is in Nakuru county.

His vehicle was flagged down in Salgaa, Lanet, Mbaruk, Gilgil and Flyover, and all the traffic police were interested in were its insurance and his driving licence.

“I find it ridiculous to ask for these things at 3 a.m.,” Paul remarks.” His email address is [email protected]

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SORRY FOR THE MESS: Nairobi Water Company says a blocked sewer that is to blame for the “smelly mess” that has been spilling over into the roundabout on Ngong Road, near the Junction Mall and that someone complained about has already been fixed.

A corporate affairs department spokesperson for the company has apologised to people living in the area and also to motorists and passengers who have experienced this while passing through the section.

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A THOUSAND WORDS: Allan Agade Indiazi says that the photograph of Bureti MP Leonard Kipsang kneeling before Deputy President William Ruto, is perhaps the best proof that the more things change the more they remain the same.

The picture, he states, reminded him of similar photos he saw when he was in secondary school during the reign of President Daniel arap Moi.

He asks: “Couldn’t Kipsang just bend and whisper into the DP’s ear whatever he wanted to say?”

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RED AND GREEN: Traffic police have been causing confusion at roundabouts in Nairobi by stopping motor vehicles when the green light is on and waving at those that should have stopped when the red light is on, Mahendra Adalja states.

To show that the officers are courting danger, Mahendra says he witnessed an accident in which a motorist drove on having seen the green light.

“I have never seen this in any of the 25 countries in which I have driven,” he writes. “Police should be there to stop anyone going across red lights.”

Thursday, March 26, 2015

The Cutting Edge - Friday - March 27, 2015

In Summary

The old Kanu-style sycophancy is “rearing its ugly head again”, remarks Ayub Osinde, citing a recent picture of Bureti MP Leonard Sang apparently “kneeling before Deputy President William Ruto” at a public function.

A trader in Nairobi’s Eastlands, C. Gathuru, wants to know from the Licensing Department of the city county government whether its officers are authorised to raid and inspect shops at night.

STOP CORRUPTION. The embezzlement of public funds has become rampant, says Benard Ng’etich. To end the menace, Bernard adds, the government should consider hiring qualified personnel to manage the funds and tighten controls. “No single person should have access to all the steps in handling accounts. Also, the authorities must be proactive instead of waiting until funds are looted.” His contact is [email protected]

**************FLASHBACK. The old Kanu-style sycophancy is “rearing its ugly head again”, remarks Ayub Osinde, citing a recent picture of Bureti MP Leonard Sang apparently “kneeling before Deputy President William Ruto” at a public function. The disturbing image, and the behaviour of other MPs, he adds, remind him of the days President Daniel arap Moi, “when all manner of leaders had to endear themselves to him” or get booted out of their positions. “This Jubilee administration is just Kanu reborn.” His contact is [email protected]

*************EXPENSIVE EXPERIMENT. On the proposal to remove the roundabouts on Nairobi’s Uhuru Highway as part of a plan to ease the flow of traffic, N. M. Rajani is worried the Sh400 million project could also “become a white elephant, just like the CCTV cameras installed on the streets recently”. Rajani wants trials carried out first, proposing the intersections that don’t have roundabouts or traffic lights on Argwings Kodhek Road and Riverside Drive “to see how drivers behave”. His contact is [email protected]

*************DECONGESTING CITY. The latest initiative to decongest Nairobi is a great idea, but a lot more needs to be done, says X. N. Iraki. Removing the roundabouts, he adds, will not make much difference “because the number of cars and trips will remain the same”. The solution, according to him, is to build interchanges such as the one at the Museum Hill and have police enforce the use of traffic lights. Devolution, which was expected to decongest Nairobi, he is convinced, has failed. His contact is [email protected]

*************SELECTIVE ACTION. How come the National Transport and Safety Authority, which is enforcing speed limits on the highways and carrying out a campaign to catch drunken drivers, is not doing anything about the speed merchants of Meru, who ferry miraa to Nairobi? asks M. Muhoss. “Can the NTSA tell us how many of the pick-ups plying the Nyeri-Nairobi highway at breakneck speeds been stopped and the drivers arrested and charged? Are their vehicles immune to speed guns or are they under protection?” His contact is [email protected]

*************NIGHT OPERATION. A trader in Nairobi’s Eastlands, C. Gathuru, wants to know from the Licensing Department of the city county government whether its officers are authorised to raid and inspect shops at night. Gathuru, who runs a wines and spirits shop at Umoja Estate, says that with the mounting insecurity, having the officers get into people’s premises at night is risky, as crooks could take advantage of this to attack shopkeepers. “Why not conduct the operation during the day?” His contact is [email protected]*************Have a transparent day, won’t you!.E-mail: [email protected]or write to Watchman, POB 49010, Nairobi 00100. Fax 2213946.

EVOLUTION OF CORRUPTION. Corruption, Collins Mwatati notes, has steadily evolved from the days when one parted with “something small”, hence the Kiswahili slogan, Toa Kitu Kidogo (TKK), which later became, Toa Kitu Kikubwa, with the emergence of the “big scandals that rocked the government”. Today, according to him, it is Toa Kila Kitu, reflecting the high level, “where corruption is more severe in the national and county governments”. He asks: “Who will rid us of this endemic problem?” His contact is [email protected]

*************SHOCKING GRAFT. The conduct of the political leadership in the national and county governments that has distinguished itself for plundering public resources it is supposed to help safeguard is simply unthinkable, says Dan Owiti Odidi. The leaders, he adds, have been thriving on kickbacks obtained through shady procurement deals and blatant bribery, even in the parliamentary watchdog committees. “It a shocking lack of morals in the public glare.” His contact is [email protected]

************SELFISH POLITICIANS. Politicians love to attend funerals to attract attention to themselves instead of condoling with the bereaved families, remarks Kakamega resident Charles Akelo, adding that “some will arrive late and interrupt the programme, asking to be allowed to say a few words, after which they vanish”. As they end their speeches, the excuse they often give is that they are going to another function. “Who forces them to attend and of what value are their speeches?” His contact is [email protected]

*************ENJOYING SERVICE. Wananchi Group has been in touch with Shobhna Shah, who complained about Internet speeds, says Jane Kebenei, the head of customer experience. The company, she adds, would never give false information through advertising. “We wish to confirm that we, indeed, upgraded the speed of the Zuku Fibre service from 8Mbps to 10Mbps. Given her location, she was advised to extend the wireless loud and is now enjoying the service.”

*************CRAZY BILLS. Keen to pay his bills, Joseph B. Abong’o Olulo says Kenya Power’s Kisumu office has not been of much help to him, despite calling the customer care desk several times. Since November 2013, he has not received any bills and has written letters and even called the customer care desk in Nairobi (Ref 194684). The problem, he adds, started when his old meter, No. 29499517, was replaced with a new one, No. 61680208. But on January 10, last year, he was slapped with a hefty bill of Sh30,000. His account is No 2408402-01.

*************SHAME OF DISCRIMINATION. Shocked to hear about a Chinese restaurant in Nairobi that has been discriminating against Kenyans in their own land, Timothy Kimathi says business owners who indulge in such misconduct must never be allowed to operate. To add insult to injury, Timothy states, he simply cannot believe that an employee of the same restaurant could have tried to justify such “a discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional practice”. His contact is [email protected]

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

The Cutting Edge

In Summary

The pedestrian lane next to Daystar University on Ngong Road in Nairobi, Lyne Oyugi moans, is “always being dug up for one reason or another, but whoever does so does not bother to put back the soil and fill it up nicely”.

Kenyans, says David Motari, have always been known to rally behind a good cause by donating their time and resources. He does not see why the same people cannot come up with a campaign in aid of cancer patients who have to queue for months to get radiotherapy.

CONFLICTED LAW. Some things can be very annoying! On December 31, Sam Weru recalls, the National Transport and Safety Authority issued a gazette notice that “effectively amended the Traffic Act Cap 403 (2012), thus classifying a double-cabin pick-up as a private motor vehicle”. This, he adds, meant the vehicles would no longer be subject to the annual police inspection and 80kph speed limit would no longer apply. “Why are the police still enforcing these two rules?” His contact is [email protected]

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SAFE FROM TERRORISM. The solution to the irritating travel advisories by Western governments to their citizens to reconsider non-essential visits to Kenya, Job Momanyi says, is to make the country safer by demonstrating “our ability to counter terrorism”. It is wrong, he argues, to blame the countries issuing the advisories, “as they have an obligation to protect their citizens”. Tourists, he adds, continue to visit Israel “which is surrounded by its bitter enemies but has demonstrated its ability to defend itself”. His contact is [email protected]

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KILL ROAD. Though happy about the ongoing reconstruction of the Murang’a-Kenol road, Peter Kago says he has noticed the omission of a climbing lane at a steep section of the highway just before Kenol Township. “This section has been notorious since colonial times as the killer of drivers of heavy trucks. I do not understand why the problem cannot be solved in this era of advanced technology.” Over to the Kenya National Highways Authority! His contact is [email protected]

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FIGHTING CORRUPTION. As the Jubilee leadership increasingly looks East in search of greater economic cooperation, Derek Liech Onyango says Kenya should now also consider borrowing their anti-corruption laws to fight the increasing menace, especially in the public sector. President Kenyatta, he adds, should consult his legal advisers to hasten the adoption of the stiff Chinese, Japanese, or Korean laws and ways of fighting graft. His contact is [email protected]

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IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR. The pedestrian lane next to Daystar University on Ngong Road in Nairobi, Lyne Oyugi moans, is “always being dug up for one reason or another, but whoever does so does not bother to put back the soil and fill it up nicely”. Lyne is worried that this poses a grave danger to the pedestrians, who risk been knocked down by cars, as they are forced to walk on the road. The authorities, she adds, should hold the culprits responsible. Her contact is [email protected]

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A GOOD CAUSE. Kenyans, says David Motari, have always been known to rally behind a good cause by donating their time and resources. He does not see why the same people cannot come up with a campaign in aid of cancer patients who have to queue for months to get radiotherapy. A big funds drive to buy more radiotherapy machines to add to the two at the Kenyatta National Hospital is an achievable goal, says David, whose contact is [email protected]

HELP CANCER PATIENTS. The plight of the many desperate cancer patients depicted in the Nation is really worrying, remarks Reuben Shuma, adding that he is surprised that the government intends to spend a whopping Sh39 billion on machines that can only diagnose the disease. What is more urgent, he adds, is to invest in more radiotherapy equipment instead of radiology machines. “Can steps be swiftly taken to end this glaring crisis?” pleads Reuben, whose contact is [email protected]

*************WRONG PRIORITIES. Something is terribly wrong with the MPs’ sense of priorities, says Patrick Kilan. He simply cannot understand how the ranking of schools in national examinations, which the lawmakers debated the other day, could be more important than the closure of schools in parts of Baringo and Turkana counties due to insecurity or the refusal by teachers to return to schools in the violence-prone northeast or even the drought ravaging some areas. His contact is [email protected]

*************ERRATIC POWER. A resident of the plush Lavington neighbourhood in Nairobi, John Oluoch, says all is well except electricity supply, which has been rather unsteady and unpredictable in recent days, with outages occurring almost on a daily basis. “Very often, we hear blasts from the transformers and this is bound to get worse during the looming rainy season. Kenya Power can surely do better than this to spare us the embarrassment of frequent power failures!” His contact is [email protected]

****************SWANKY JOINTS. There is a brand-new craze in Nairobi’s city centre — the proliferation of swanky entertainment joints apparently targeting a youthful middle class, notes Jim Webo. Also worth noting, he adds, is that the nightclubs are concentrated around Moi Avenue and Kimathi Street and adjacent lanes. “If the economy is doing badly, as we are often being told, how come these clubs are always full every day of the week? These young people must be making tidy sums of money from somewhere.”

***************SONKO TO THE RESCUE? Does Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko’s much-touted rescue team also fix sewers? asks Julliet Mutegi, a resident of Imara Daima Estate. She wishes she could personally contact the flamboyant politician to rescue her and her neighbours from the health hazard lurking behind the putrid smell from a broken sewer. “For over a week we have endured this on our usually tranquil street shared by dozens of other houses. Calls to the county public health officials have yielded only promises and no relief.” Her contact is [email protected]

**************PROTECTION FEES? Could new Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet be aware that his officers go around bars in Nairobi and its environs every evening collecting hundreds of shillings without issuing any receipts or explaining to the business owners what they are paying for? Peter Muka says that in his neighbourhood of Gatina, in the Muthangari area, the illegal collections happen without fail between 7pm and 9pm. “Could this be part of a new policy of paying for police protection?” asks Patrick. His contact is [email protected]

NUMBERS DON'T LIE: The claim that more people are dying of malaria and Aids than in road accidents is inaccurate. National Transport and Safety Authority official Dominic Kabiru says global statistics indicate that by 2013, the number of road casualties were the second highest after Aids-related deaths.

Tuberculosis and malaria were rated third and fourth respectively. “Speed cameras and breathalyser tests are, therefore, not money-making machines and conduits for bribery by police. They help to deter offenders.” His contact is [email protected]

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UNFAIR CHARGE: Nairobi Water Company is like a farmer who has been reaping where he has not sown, remarks Githurai Kimbo resident Anthony Kamau.

This, he adds, is the only logical conclusion as to why the people who have no sewer service are being charged an arm and a leg for it. The levy, Anthony explains, is 75 per cent of the water charge, raking in millions from a service the company does not provide. His contact is [email protected]

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SMELLY MESS: A huge volume of raw sewage has been running on the surface at the Ngong Road roundabout near the Junction Mall in Nairobi for the past one month, moans Janet Koi.

Disappointed to note that Nairobi Water Company has yet to act on it, Janet fears that the smelly mess is bound to get worse when the long-awaited long rains set in. “This is not a good sign from the county leadership.” Her contact is[email protected]

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INCOMPLETE JOB: Can the contractor who was to fix five culverts into the swampy part of Dagoretti Road, Nairobi, about two kilometres from Karen shopping centre, return and complete the job? appeals Jane Koi.

According to Jane, it is easier to do it now than during the heavy rains that are expected in a few weeks’ time. Whatever the reasons, the culverts delivered to the site and abandoned there paint a pretty bad picture of those concerned. Her contact is [email protected]

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GOOD JOB! A rare compliment to the police, this one from Mike Johan, who is impressed with the good job being done by officers from Kabete Police Station in Nairobi, who have been enforcing motorists’ compliance with the traffic rules.

Says he: “For a long time, matatus and some private motorists have turned Waiyaki Way into a traffic jungle, especially around the Mountain View and James Gichuru junctions. We have seen traffic flow and are more relaxed driving here.” His contact is [email protected]

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DETACHED: The sleeping commuters in Nairobi are “just a part of the city’s snobbish culture”, remarks Dominic Mutai, writing from the serene lakeside town of Kisumu.

He adds: “Most of these people would rather shut their eyes than face the person sitting next to them. There is also the issue of personal space, which Nairobians guard jealously. Just looking at the person next to you can cause a backlash that many wish to avoid by just shutting their eyes.”

Have a cultured day, won’t you!

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Cutting Edge

In Summary

During a recent visit to Kisumu, Vihiga County resident Nelson Omega says he was disturbed about the low-hanging signposts that pose danger to pedestrians, even on some of the key streets.

NOBLE MISSION. Empathising with Mandera Governor Ali Ibrahim Roba following an attack on his convoy in which several people were killed, Muya Wamahiu, says: “You should never give up on your mission to uplift your community’s welfare. Your noble mission to serve the people of Mandera has made you the target of a few bigots who do not want the county to be integrated into the national mainstream. But it is leaders like you who will deliver the region from poverty and isolation.” His contact is [email protected]

*************SUSPICIOUS COINCIDENCE. When David Kimaiyo was the Inspector-General of Police, Kipkemo Kikwai states, there was a proliferation of terrorist attacks around the country, sparking a public outcry, which culminated in his removal from the position. But afterwards, he adds, there was a marked decline in the number of incidents. He is, therefore, surprised that the installation of Joseph Boinnet as his successor has seen a resumption of terrorism. Could there be a link? He wonders. His contact is [email protected]

************EMPTY PROMISE. After he lost his national identity card, Lenny Mwangu says he went to the Huduma Centre at the City Square Post Office in Nairobi, on January 15, to apply for a replacement and was impressed to note that the whole process took less than 10 minutes. But having been promised that it would take only two weeks to process it, Lenny says he can’t help taking back his compliments as over a month later, he has yet to receive his card. His contact is [email protected]

*************DANGEROUS CRIMINALS. Having crooks brazenly vandalising cars in traffic jams just outside Kamukunji Police Station, especially during the morning rush hour, is not funny at all, says Martin Irungu. On March 11, he reports, he sat helplessly in a traffic jam at 7.15am as a side indicator was yanked off his car. However, he is more disturbed about the “overconfidence of the thieves” than the crime. “If these petty thieves are not stopped, they will soon graduate into gunmen and carjackers,” warns Martin, whose contact is [email protected]

**************DOUBLE STANDARDS. Since the campaign to enforce the 50kmh speed limit on the stretch of Mombasa Road between the city Nairobi centre and City Cabanas Restaurant on the eastern outskirts started, Willis Aguko says he has been appalled to watch the double standards in the enforcement of the rule. Those who routinely flout the speed limit rule, he adds, include high-ranking government officials. “Though some of them are allowed to use sirens, they are not exempted from the 50kmh rule,” states Willis, whose contact is [email protected]

**************DANGER OVERHEAD. During a recent visit to Kisumu, Vihiga County resident Nelson Omega says he was disturbed about the low-hanging signposts that pose danger to pedestrians, even on some of the key streets. The culprits, he adds, include the Nakumatt Mega Plaza, whose signpost is “too low”. Being a victim, Nelson warns that other pedestrians risk hurting their heads as they pass by. “Can the county government intervene?” he pleads. His contact is [email protected]

PEOPLE'S CHOICE. The failure of the new Jubilee Party Alliance to win its first test by bagging the Kajiado Central parliamentary seat in the just-ended by-election, David Motari hopes, will not be a source of trouble for the constituents.

“The government should not punish the people of Kajiado Central for rejecting the JAP. I expect that the same vigour and energy exhibited by the top leaders who campaigned for the JAP candidate will continue together with efforts to develop the area.”

SLEEPY COMMUTERS. Most Nairobi commuters fall fast asleep as soon their matatu starts moving, says Fredrick Dina, adding that he reached that conclusion after travelling on most of the routes in the capital and is convinced that there must be an explanation for this. Some commuters, he claims, wake up only when tapped by the conductor to pay their fare.

“It seems people take too much time on the road, hence the sleep.” The solution, according to him, is to clear the endemic traffic jams.

CRY FOR HELP. The defunct City Council of Nairobi put up some kiosks in an effort to streamline the operations of petty traders and Beth Wachira’s mother used her life’s savings to buy one of them.

And barely a year later, came the city county government, which has now given her a demolition notice, with no mention of any compensation. “To whom can she turn for help? Can Governor Evans Kidero intervene to help out this old woman?”

CHARACTER MATTERS. What is important is one’s character and not necessarily what one studied at university, remarks Anne Githaiga, in response to the praise lavished on the home economics graduates holding key positions in the public and private sectors.

“Holding a degree is good, but it is better with a strong character. Women are able to juggle many things, unlike the men, who focus on one thing.”

Her idea of a successful woman, she says, is Keroche Industries boss Tabitha Karanja and “yet I do not know what she studied”.

WRONG INFORMATION. A hawk-eyed Sam Maina, who also apparently has an eye for business, could not have missed this one.

While browsing through the pages of the Nation of March 13, he says, he was attracted to an advert placed by Moi University, which, he claims, had the wrong date.

According to the tender notice, the bids should be delivered by February 5. “But we are in March and, to add salt to injury, the telephone number given, 053 43620, is also incorrect,” states Sam, whose contact is Tel 0721325324 or [email protected]

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ZEAL AND FOCUS. The country needs malaria police to fight the killer disease and more efforts to tackle other problems that pose the biggest challenge to the people in their daily lives, says Daniel Kigwiri.

More zeal and focus, Daniel adds, should be injected into combating some of the biggest problems, especially lack of adequate health care and insecurity. Also calling for attention, according to him, are “other sinners”, especially “the people who drive under the influence of alcohol”.